On the seventeenth day of the first lunar month, the weather was slightly damp, and there was a heavy fog in the morning. Seeing that this day has been sunny for more than 20 days, it is time for some rain. However, the air is a little hot and dry.

After the fog, the tooth flag at the head of Xiyue City was replaced with the word "Liu", and the lines on the flag were also replaced with the style of Hengzhou. The soldiers on the tower were wiping the yards on the cannons, only to hear the colonel in charge of the garrison say, "If it had been so humid a few days ago, there would not have been so many brothers who died under these cannons." ”

And Chun Yu Xianzhong's Southern Tour Palace, at this moment, has been changed to Xingyuan. The palace guards were dismissed, the female officials and maids in the palace also scattered and fled, and some unlucky palace maids were also captured by the labor army.

This council hall was also cleaned up by the Hengzhou army that had just entered the city under Liu Chunqing's strict orders. In this way, the grinding and grinding worked until noon, and the soldiers were hungry. In particular, when I smelled the smell of fish from the inner courtyard of the palace, I was even more hungry.

Liu Chunqing comforted these brothers who accompanied him for more than two months. Let his subordinates take the steel knives that made a gap last night, go to several famous restaurants in the city, and "invite" more than 20 masters of the Xiyue row, with pots and pans, and all the ingredients, to gather in the backyard of the palace and set up a stove. Show their skills, let these Hengzhou Jianyong who came from afar also have a good taste of the flavor of the southern tour.

As a general, Liu Chunqing ordered the sergeant to carry the table and arrange the dishes, chopsticks and wine in the cleaned council hall. Ready to reward the generals, looking at the banquet, they are all ironclad generals and mighty and majestic troops. But the chief of the guests in this hall was a boy dressed in linen and coarse cloth, and although the dust and blood stains of the enemy had been wiped away in the morning, the traces of dirt could still be seen.

But the other people who have gone through a night of fighting are not very clean on their faces. The only thing that is clean, I'm afraid it's Meng Zhichu who is sitting next to him, after all, the girl's family wants face, and she knows that she is going to come to this celebration banquet, so she took the opportunity to clean up after Qing Shui. Because the academy was unwilling to reveal its identity, and in front of the Hengzhou army last night, in addition to the five hundred dark piles that scattered in the morning, there were only three people: Mu Qinghan, Meng Zhichu and Helian Chunhou.

But Helian said that he was a courtier of Da Zheng, and the relationship between Hengzhou and the imperial court was so delicate. When it was close to noon, he found a gap and slipped away, and he didn't even return to the school. Ouyang did not give up being afraid that Mu Qinghan had never seen this meeting, so he immediately asked Su Mingxi to ask Meng Zhichu to accompany him, in short, the task of the two of them in this banquet was how to fool the whereabouts of the five hundred dark piles in addition to eating and drinking. However, Chen Huance also said that in fact, it is difficult to fool around, so you just need to rely on it and not reveal the identity of the school. Anyway, if you helped him into the city, he probably won't embarrass you too much.

So Mu Qinghan and Meng Zhichu sat in this council hall, the whole fish banquet that the cook came up had already made Mu Qinghan's index finger move, after all, these days are really hard, and he hasn't eaten meat for a while. I wanted to move the chopsticks several times, but I was stopped by Meng Zhichu with his eyes. I had to listen to the loud protest in my belly.

Finally, I don't know if the dishes are all on or if the people are all here. Liu Chunqing, who was on the master's seat, finally raised his glass, "We can enter this city today, thanks to your lives, Chunqing salutes everyone!" ”

Everyone replied to the general's prestige and other flattering words, and they all drank it all. Where has Mu Qinghan experienced this kind of scene, he didn't know what to say with a wine cup, he looked left and right a few times, and saw that everyone had drunk, and he drank himself, and while drinking, he thought that this general had better not talk to me, I really don't know how to drink the rules of your rich and noble people.

But what do you really want to come, this Liu Chunqing's first glass of wine just came down to his stomach, and the second cup was served, and he greeted our General Mu directly: "Come, General Mu, this time to conquer Western Vietnam, General Mu is really the first achievement." Liu gives you a drink. ”

Listening to the rhetoric, Mu Qinghan secretly complained in his heart, but after all, he inherited the love of the school, and he had to talk about the righteousness of this kindness. Then he said: "The general is broken, the kid raised troops at the end of the year, and took a nickname, if it weren't for the general's military might, it would be difficult to succeed." I don't dare to call you a general. Looking at what this sentence said like this, it was actually taught by Chen Huance, and in the morning, Meng Zhichu slipped back to the department store with light skills, Su Mingxi said in her ear one by one, come back and bring it to Mu Qinghan, not to mention that he learned quite similarly. Meng Zhichu nodded slightly beside him, and others thought that he echoed what he said, but they didn't know that she was admiring the teachable son.

The two drank a cup after speaking, Liu Chunqing put down the cup and said with a smile: "General Mu is too modest, the day before yesterday you sent someone from Lixiu Lake to secretly cross out of the city, and reported to me that the mud led the people in the city to open the city to greet each other, and I also said which famous rich gentleman, I didn't expect it to be for such a handsome young man, young and so bold, really a hero out of the boy." ”

Mu Qinghan secretly said in his heart, where is this because he has the courage, it is not that Ouyang does not give up and strategizes, five hundred dark piles can be produced in large numbers, if he really has the guts, he can still be regarded as killing Chun Yu Xianzhong. But where would he say this, but he didn't know what to answer, so he had to say these promises without four or six in his mouth, and secretly turned his head to look at Meng Zhichu, frowning to show for help.

Meng Zhichu had an expression of watching the play, after all, these things are not important, and there will be nothing to answer casually. But the small actions between the teenagers were glimpsed by Liu Chunqing, so he said: "General Mu is not only a hero, but also a beautiful woman at a young age, married a beautiful couple, and envied others." "It may be that Mu Qinghan has been hunting for many years, this person is a little old, and in those years, it was normal for seventeen or eighteen to marry a wife. He looked at the small movements between the young man and the girl, and mistook the two for a young couple, after all, in his eyes, what Mu Qinghan did last night was to abandon his family and business, and the people who fought side by side with him must be close relatives.

But more importantly, the two don't talk about temperament, judging from this appearance alone, they are really a bit right, anyway, on the wine table, they have no scruples about talking, and it doesn't hurt to talk casually.

Listening to his casual words, Meng Zhichu couldn't help but be ashamed, but he often pretended to be a young man to go to the Chu Pavilion of the Red Mansion, and he wouldn't take it too seriously, thinking that with a sincere person like Mu Qinghan, he would inevitably explain.

Unexpectedly, Mu Qinghan threw out a very helpless question at this time: "Virtuous couple?" What's that? After speaking, he looked at Liu Chunqing very seriously.

Liu Chunqing laughed, he was originally a civil official, although he was both civil and military, he always admired the style of Confucian generals in ancient times. On weekdays, in the barracks, no matter how anxious the march is, you must put a few books in your bag. However, there are not many art of war, most of them are poems and articles. Therefore, the language is often heavy, which is also the fundamental purpose of Chen Huance's words, but in fact, he likes it.

But Mu Qinghan has never been to school seriously, although a scholar with a credit wine taught him more than 8,000 words, making him look like a literate tavern boy, but he has never read a subset of the scriptures and histories of the Eight Classics. So there are some words that he really doesn't know.

But his reaction was to remove the fig leaf that Meng Zhichu had so hard to rely on on his face. Quickly pinched his arm with his fingers, pulled it tightly, leaned against his ear and whispered, "The virtuous couple is a good wife." After speaking, he hurriedly pushed it, but he didn't know that the wine had not been drunk a single time, but it was a little crimson. But she thought that this honest person knew what it meant, and would definitely explain it.

From here, it can be seen that she has long forgotten the story of the anti-guest in the alley that day and the story in the elevator of the secret room of Wangyun Tower. Mu Qinghan let out a long "oh", turned his head and said to Liu Chunqing: "Don't tell you, I don't dare to boast about myself more, but marrying this daughter-in-law is the most proud thing in my life." ”

Meng Zhichu looked at Mu Qinghan incredulously, but saw Mu Qinghan smiling with three points of banter, how did she know that Mu Qinghan was extremely happy at this time, and said secretly: "Let you just gloat, this advantage is not taken advantage of." However, he was so embarrassed that he still ushered in the end of his arm being pinched purple by this woman.

However, this action of you going back and forth is simply the flirting and scolding of a young couple in Liu Chunqing's eyes, and even more listening to Mu Qinghan's words, it is even more solid what he thinks in his heart, which makes him laugh.

After chatting for a while, he finally got to the point: "Last night, General Mu led people to open the city gate for our army, and then I saw that you were already fighting in Wangyunlou, and I saw that you also had hundreds of people under you, why did you say that they were all dispersed when I wanted to reward you for meritorious deeds today?" ”

Sure enough, what should come will always come, after all, who is doing things is not thinking about a good future, how can there be a reason to work hard, become a thing, but slip away. Mu Qinghan smiled: "General, I will toast you." He tried to ease his embarrassment with a toast.

Liu Chunqing also accepted it out of courtesy, but was still waiting for Mu Qinghan's answer. Mu Qinghan recalled the words from Chen Huance at this time: "Everyone has their own aspirations, and we are all suffering from the slavery of Chun Yu Xianzhong, first there are harsh taxes for many years, and then it is expected to be a high-rise building, and I want to drag my family and flee to another country, but now I see the generals and soldiers coming, and the city is surrounded on all sides, so I rise up to resist." Today, the siege of the city has been lifted, and of course they have gone their own way. ”

This is said to avoid the important and trivial, but in fact it does not point out the reason why he still suffers from the bumps after the victory. Of course, he couldn't fool Liu Chunqing, so he said that he asked Mu Qinghan.

Mu Qinghan thought to himself, why are you so much. Chen Huance taught him so much, and let him rely on the rest, and he didn't say how to rely on it, but he didn't know how to answer for a while. In fact, Chen Huangce's meaning is very simple, just say that the hearts of others cannot be omniscient, nor can they be forced. But Mu Qinghan didn't expect that he was very embarrassed left and right, so he simply drank another glass of wine alone.

Just when this wine was in my stomach, I thought that I couldn't always use wine as a shield. Although he makes wine, he can drink three catties of spirits by himself. But you must be drunk like this, you really have to get drunk, and tell the truth and the truth, but it's not a good thing.

So I thought, in this case, I will use the truth to make up a lie to deceive him. He put the cup down, and the sound of slamming it on the table was a little heavier. With a bit of mystery, he asked, "Does the general want to know why?" ”

Liu Chunqing was also interested when he saw his appearance. Leaned down a little and asked, "Why?" ”

"Chun Yu has no way, Hengzhou Liu has a way?" Mu Qinghan said this after drinking, and this also frightened Meng Zhichu beside him. The implication of these words is self-evident, isn't this a slap in the face on other people's territory.

As soon as these words came out, the field immediately became serious. Meng Zhichu saw that the few generals sitting at the bottom were all touching their swords and sabers.

Of course, Mu Qinghan didn't just talk about the Hengzhou family, but only listened to him and continued: "The three Qin kings and Dazheng have the Tao, the princes go back and forth to fight, and the common people are not bitter?" Under whose rule can it be more comfortable? My family originally opened a restaurant on the official road, and I don't know how many people have fled over the years? These brothers under my command, some of whom are native to the West Vietnam, and some of whom have fled to receive help from my family, have been fighting for a long time, so today they welcome the general into the city, and immediately leave here to find a place to live and work in peace and contentment. ”

The first half of this is true, and the second half is pure nonsense, but on the whole, it is deceptive. At least judging from Liu Chunqing's waving hand to ask his subordinates not to make a mistake, this slightly truthful lie persuaded him.

"Yes, but if there were no such conquests, no warriors like you, Brother Mu, where would there be peace. In the troubled times of Da Zheng, how to be a Chengping person. The eldest husband relied on these hands to make this peace. Liu Chunqing then said the ultimate purpose of his words, "Brother Mu is a young man, and he has the prestige of killing Chun Yu Xianzhong, why don't you join me Hengzhou Jianyong, the eldest husband has made meritorious contributions, and he is at the moment." ”

This made Mu Qinghan a little unexpected, he originally thought that Liu Chunqing wanted the five hundred dark piles, but who knew that he was greedy for himself. However, Ouyang Buqi and Chen Huance had expected this for a long time, and even Meng Zhichu could guess it. It's just that the school's attitude towards this is to go with the flow, they believe that Mu Qinghan will not betray them, if Mu Qinghan is "sold" to Hengzhou, they may be able to leave five hundred dark piles.

And from Mu Qinghan's point of view, if he killed Chun Yu Xianzhong, he would definitely not be able to stay in the southern tour, let alone go south. He can't even go to the south to patrol the city, if he goes from Hengzhou, at least he can follow the Hengzhou army to protect his own safety.

However, Chen Huangce's thoughts came to naught in Mu Qinghan's answer. Mu Qinghan said: "Thank you to the general for his love, I really have a daughter-in-law at home who can't let go, and I don't want to suffer from the military camp." ”

Meng Zhichu's eyes became terrifying again, and his heart said that if you don't go, you won't go, and use me as a shield. In fact, this is a bit high, if Liu Chunqing usually can still say some bastard words such as "why is it difficult for a husband to have no wife" and so on. But it's really hard to say this in front of people.

Mu Qinghan said this, but there was no wave in his heart, he only had Gu Laosan's teachings to him over the years: "You must not serve the Hengzhou Army in the future!" You must not play for Lyusenko! This is what Gu Laosan has repeatedly emphasized to him over the years, and he doesn't know what the reason behind this is. But thinking that Gu Laosan was the captain of the guard of the Hengzhou Governor's Princess's Mansion, he still didn't like the Hengzhou Army so much, which shows that the Hengzhou Army is indeed a place where he can't serve and defect.

There is nothing speculative about the two talking about this, but after all, they have helped each other a lot. So he didn't say anything, and then ate and drank.

Liu Chunqing picked up a piece of fish, dipped it in some sauce, put it in his mouth, and pouted: "Tsk, the food of this southern tour is still too light, this fish only has ordinary umami and the saltiness of the sauce, which is not delicious." "The food is not delicious on the one hand, and on the other hand, it is also because I feel that Mu Qinghan doesn't know how to be angry with this poor fish.

He said, "Well, let the quartermaster pepper the garlic." "This pepper garlic is a common accompaniment to Hengzhou people's meals, the taste is more spicy than ordinary garlic, Hengzhou people like spicy and stimulating, and when eating, they are broken into small cloves or crushed to eat. Most of the generals present were people from the vicinity of Hengzhou, and it was impossible for the quartermaster to only serve a plate, so a plate was served on each table.

When Mu Qinghan saw this, he picked it up and ate it. I don't break or grind, I just hold and gnaw. This vigorous way of eating has attracted the attention of almost everyone around. You must know that even a Hengzhou person does not dare to directly challenge its taste.

But Mu Qinghan felt like he was fine, and he ate an extra bowl of rice, relishing, and felt that this pepper and garlic were really sent to him.

This can't help but make Liu Chunqing extremely curious: "I heard that the south patrols the north of the sea, and the diet is light, how can the Mu brothers have such a heavy taste." "To be honest, this is not just a literal scolding, of course, people are literal.

Mu Qinghan also wanted to ease the embarrassing atmosphere that had been in place just now, so he also wanted to talk about family life, and said: "My father is from Hengzhou, and his taste has not changed since he fled here, so he and my brothers and sisters are all heavy-mouthed. ”

When Liu Chunqing heard this, he felt that there was another opportunity, so he said: "I said, Brother Mu is destined for me in Hengzhou, this is a great opportunity, why don't Brother Mu go back to Hengzhou with me to explore the scenery of his hometown." "To say that this man's ability to get off the donkey is indeed not bad.

Mu Qinghan was also convinced, so he could only shirk it: "Xiyue has been staying for a long time, saying that Hengzhou is his hometown, and I don't know how many people with the surname Mu are in his hometown." He laughed out loud.

This statement surprised Liu Chunqing, his eyes narrowed, and he no longer sat as he leaned forward before, but only sat up, Mu Qinghan's words just now seemed to remind him. "Shepherd? It's true that there aren't many of them. The tone also became a little calmer, and it was a little deliberate.

This sentence also opened Mu Qinghan's words: "Who said no, there are hundreds of people in these ten villages and eight stores, and my surname is Mu Qinghan." ”

Liu Chunqing said lightly: "Brother Mu said that he laughed, others have fewer surnames, and your father and brother are always surnamed Mu." "It's funny that he says that others are laughing, but he is expressionless.

Mu Qinghan said: "My father is my father-in-law, not surnamed Mu. ”

"What's that last name?"

"The surname is Gu." As Mu Qinghan finished speaking, Liu Chunqing, who had just raised the glass of drinking in his hand, took it off his hand, dropped it on the table, and sprinkled a table of wine. The sergeant next to him hurriedly came up to deal with it, and even Mu Qinghan also asked. I just saw Liu Chunqing waving his hand and touching his face: "It's okay, I'm just a little drunk." Brother Mu continued, although there are more people with the surname Gu than Mu, it is not very common, my family has an old friend with the surname Gu, maybe we still have relatives, dare to ask the name of the father-in-law. ”

When Mu Qinghan heard that there was such a fate, he just wanted to say it, but was preempted by Meng Zhichu: "It's all said to be famous, of course those of us who are children are not good to speak out, although the father-in-law is not biological, but he also has the grace of parenting, and we should pay attention to it." Meng Zhichu also let it go, which is tantamount to acquiescing in Mu Qinghan's previous creation of this kind of "couple" relationship, but she really can't see the situation of this honest man being casually probed into his family.

However, this surprised Mu Qinghan, but there was also some joy inside, no matter what the reason was, it was quite cool to take advantage of it.

Liu Chunqing couldn't say anything when he was scolded by this, after all, he himself was also a person who advertised that he was knowledgeable, but he quickly thought of a new way to ask what he wanted.